The Weight of a Crown
by Yuffie143
Summary: Alexandria prospers in peace, while the rest of Gaia must answer to the tyrant King of Lindblum.


The Weight of a Crown Prelude The Thief King Is Crowned By Christina Bruno 

(Disclaimer: This story is based on the game of Final Fantasy 9…I created many original characters, but there isn't anything I can do with them without the base of FF9. FF9 is owned by Squaresoft…Squareenix…not me. Thanks. This is an old story that I am rewriting)

Long ago, in the days of old, an amorous adventurer surrendered his heart to the loveliest lady in all of the land. With raven waves down to her waste and coffee colored eyes deeper than the sea, she unknowingly mesmerized him and made useless his every charm. While he desperately vied for her intangible affections, he took her hand and showed her a world of freedom -- a world where she dug into the depths of her soul and discovered more than a princess - she found herself.

One humid night in the kingdom of Alexandria, this very same girl sat on the highest balcony pondering some way to escape the castle walls that had incased her for the majority of her life. The air was hot and heavy, it could have easily been sliced with a dagger. But she had not the slightest notion of such a thing's existence, until he had come along.

Her eyes appeared to be focused only on her favorite of plays, "I Want to Be Your Canary", a classic drama in which a beautiful princess is whisked away by a common thief, only to be discovered by her disapproving father. She had studied the play for years and the performance did not faze her a bit. It did, however, entice her crass and obese mother, whom she had never resembled. Her mother had skin the color of a toad and a similar complexion as well. Yet it never really occurred to the girl to think twice about this question.

She was always accustomed to doing what she was told, but tonight she would not. Before she turned the ripe age of 16, she wanted to see the world. But she didn't' want to see it through the eyes of her mother. She wanted to taste the air and walk the streets of other cities. This time no one was going to stop her. And so she fled from the veranda while her mother was enthralled by the theater troop, with a hood to cover the most well-known face in the kingdom.

Upon entering the hall, he had seen her for the first time. Her face was like a Sirius, amongst the scarlet stairs and marble banister. The curtains draped above them, but he took no notice. He saw only her. He had been sent to slip a little bit of extra belladonna in her tea and kidnap her. They had been hired to do so. The man had been a thief, part of the theatre troope Tantalus, of Lindunblum. But she had made it easier for him. In fact, she requested that he take her away after he chased her.

The group of thieves escaped on their theatre ship, with the angel-faced princess, whose mother responded by sending a bomb at the ship with one of her Pluto Knights to follow. A panic-prone soldier wo took an immediate disliking to the amiable thief. The ship crashed into the forest, and the group embarked on a sentimental journey. Neither of them has ever been the same.

Years had passed since that journey, more than a decade. The princess, who was now queen of that old Kingdom, laid quietly in her bed beside the man who held her heart. His name was Zidane, and he had broken the chain. He was a commoner who had become a king. Zidane had pulled the blindfold off of the lady's eyes and showed her life beyond the castle walls. He embraced her ignorance, and taught her a real way to live. Oh how she had loved him. She just couldn't bring herself to admit it, until she thought she had lost him.

The golden haired Zidane had a heart plated in the same color. His brother, who had also been his power craving enemy, lied beneath the Ifla tree. The tree of life had its grips around Kuja. Zidane had come from a land known as Terra, a land that was within Gaia. Terra was a parasite that grew within planets, sucking out its life force until it conquered it completely. When it was through, Terra would surface. Garland, the head of Terra, created Kuja. He had been sent to take over Gaia, and then he had created Zidane. He had sent Zidane to Gaia to take over when he grew more powerful than Kuja. Then he had had created Mikoto to replace Zidane whenever he would become weak. They were to wreak havoc on the planet, but not Zidane. He was too benevolent for such a task.

At the end of the day, he always did what was right. Justice loomed over him like a halo above his head. Kuja had been alive and Zidane had to save him. Kuja didn't understand anything, only his mission. He had to liberate him. But sadly, Zidane never returned.

Until one day when the newly crowned Queen Garnet sat and watched her favorite play. She recalled everything Zidane had taught, but how to be alone. She had to learn to be without him, but she craved him so badly. He promised her it was not goodbye, but she knew it was. She had shed tears on her pillow every night for him. She had never told him the truth. He had taught her live, and she could not do it without him. She loved him with all of her awakened heart.

Sitting back with her hands on her lap, she tried to focus all of her attention towards the play. But memories flooded her mind. Everyone that had accompanied them on their journey had been there. Vivi, the wonderful and sweet black mage, with his wife and children stood watching. This time, he was able to attend and not from a roof-top. Freya, a friend of Zidane's, she was a wonderful rat-warrior from Burmecia, land of eternal rain. The woman had finally been reunited with her long-lost love Fratley, how Garnet envied her, but he had not an inkling of their history together. Even Amarant, the cocky bounty hunter, had showed up to pay his respects to the kingdom. Of course, Quinia, waited on the sidelines thinking of nothing but the meal to come later on. That was all her race cared for: the art of food. Eiko had come with her new parents, Regent Cid and Hilda, they had gladly adopted her. She and Garnet had been the only summoners left.

Yes, Garnet had been a summoner. On her journey she had discovered her true origins. She had been born of Madain Sari, the land of the summoner. One night, it was brutally attacked by Garland and his ship. The entire town was set a blaze, fire eating away at its foundation. Yet Garnet's mother, Jane, escorted them both unto a ship that lied in a cavern leading to the ocean. Her mother had been wounded as they were leaving; pieces of rock and wood had been falling from the town. One of them had plummeted unto her head, but they continued on their journey. Jane rapped her arms around her daughter feeling woozy and faint. Eventually, the boat washed up on Alexandria's shore. Jane laid quietly at peace on the boat with a panic-stricken Garnet. She was so young and beautiful. Queen Brahne, who was once kind before becoming power-obsessed, and her husband adopted her. They had recently lost their own daughter and presented this girl to the public in her stead. She had a horn on her forehead, the mark of the summoner. The royals had that removed, in order to pass her off as their child that had passed with the public's knowledge. She was said to been educated in Lindblum. Garnet, rather Sarah, finally knew the truth.

Queen Garnet was happy to see all of her friends in the crowd, but Zidane had been missing. She watched with teary eyes as the hero, Marcus, in a monk's dress, pledged his love to his princess. Garnet let out a sigh, as she watched him shout the final line.

"...Bring my beloved Dagger to me!"

Dagger? It was the name she had given herself so no one would discover her identity on their journey. She stood to her feet, aghast as the actor threw down his coat. It was Zidane! Her heart lept with joy, as she feared she was only dreaming. How could it be? Her most dire wish had manifested right before her eyes.

Beatrix and Steiener, both made to protect her, gladly let her pass. She was in awe for they hardly let her do anything. She flew down the stairs quicker than the wind and made her way towards the crowd. As she ran, her precious necklace flew from her neck, one that had held her family's name. It was her past, she thought, Zidane was her future. Tears burst from the corners of her eyes and poured down her face. She shook her head and continued to run. She tossed the crown off of her head, ready to sacrifice anything to be with him. With tears sliding down her face she threw herself unto the stage into his arms.

She laid her head there for a moment, releasing tiny sobs. Surprised, since she usually lacked emotion, Zidane patted her head.

"It's okay...I'm here now."

She lifed her head and slammed her fist against his chest, "I thought you were dead! Don't ever leave me again!"

Zidane, taken back, let out a soft laugh and ran his fingers through her hair.

She whimpered, her glazed eyes glancing up at him." How did you ever escape?"

Zidane took his hand and lifted up her tiny chin towards the sky, "I sang out song." He smiled and kissed her hard, a long awaited kiss. Their lips locked with true love and after that they were soon married beneath the stars.

Now years later, the two still hold each other.

(A/N: Hello! This is a remake of one of my older stories! I am giving it a classic tone; it is very different from my usual FF7 work. More soon! This is just the intro…)


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